The main point question is impossible to answer without going over in detail the essence of each paragraph, but I will try to keep this brief and quick.
For this question, the quickest way to arrive at the correct answer would be to eliminate all answer choices that don’t have the subject “steady state economists.” This passage as a whole puts “some steady state economists” as its focal point so our correct answer must begin with the subject “steady state economists.” This eliminates A and B.
D) is better supported with the line reference “they argue that there are alternatives to growth that still accomplish what is required of any economy: the satisfaction of human wants. One of (50) the alternatives is conservation.”
C) is a bit off because it didn’t mention how conservation can help human wants. Thus, D) is our correct answer.
Thank you. Please feel free to correct me. I hope that it helps.
RaviFebruary 12, 2022
In looking at the passage, the main point is that steady-state economics has challenged the traditional all-growth model of neoclassical economics. Steady-state economics holds that natural resource access limits the size of economies, Western economics have already become too big, and that there are alternatives to growth that would allow for the satisfaction of human wants despite not having unlimited growth. This can be found in lines 14-16 and 44-49.
While A is true, it does not fully capture the main point, as it puts too much emphasis on the neoclassical economics, and it doesn't contain any material highlighting the things the author discusses in the last paragraph, including lines 44-49. Thus, we can get rid of A.
